Many people question who the highest-paid darts player is. With darts becoming a more lucrative sport, the opportunity to make a good salary comes with that. However, Darts players don’t actually make a salary; all the money they make comes from prize money.
Therefore, the question changes from who is the highest paid player, to which player has made the most prize money ever.
How Do Professional Darts Players Earn Their Money?
Darts players draw most of their income through winning prize money. Tournaments gift prize money based on performance in the competition, with the winner earning the most from the prize pot and others earning money from the round they went out in.
Other ways for players to earn money are through sponsorships and endorsements. Many players have sponsors on their shirts, which you can see on the top of their chest or on their sleeves. There are branded equipment like darts or dart boards that players can earn from, but also appearance fees for attending events or exhibition matches can be good earners too.
The Highest Paid Player Ever
Over the history of the sport, Darts has just grown and grown with the amount of prize money on offer. The 2026 PDC World Championship has the biggest prize pot on offer ever, with the winner taking home £1 million in winnings.
The highest earner in winnings ever is Michael van Gerwen, who has won £11.5 million in total over his career. The Dutchman’s career was at its peak, just as the prize money started to peak with television and sponsorship deals.
Phil Taylor is second on that list, having been the best and most dominant player in the sport's history. His total of £8.5 million would be much more if the money on offer during his period playing darts was anything like what is on offer now. In total, 'The Power' won 214 professional tournaments, which include 85 major titles and 16 World Championships (Van Gerwen only has three).
Next on the list of highest earners is two-time PDC World Champion Peter Wright, who has made £6.2 million. After him is fellow Scotsman and fellow double World Champion, Gary Anderson, who has made £5.5 million.
Current stars who could be the highest paid ever
With the rise in the prize money, current stars will have the opportunity to become the highest earners in darts ever. Whilst Michael van Gerwen is still playing, and at a high level, he can increase his lead at the top of the table. Yet two players look like they will be challenging the established elite with their earnings.
Luke Littler is the face of Darts at the moment and is the World No. 1. His dominance hides that he only became a full-time professional in the sport in 2024. In those two years, he has made £2.3 million and become the World Champion at only 17. Now 18 (19 in January 2026), if his dominance continues as it looks like it will, Littler will no doubt become the highest earner in the coming years.
His closest rival is the World No. 2 Luke Humphries. The ex-World Champion and ex-World No. 1 has been on the scene for longer than Littler and has made £3.5 million in his time. But with his level and being the closest to Littler in form over the past few years, he is also set to become one of the top earners of all time in Darts.